From ESPN, in an email that was no doubt distributed across the board:

“On the morning prior to Wednesday’s supposedly confidential meeting between Dwight Howard and Rob Hennigan, there were media reports stating a meeting was taking place later that same day,” wrote agent Dan Fegan of LaGardere Unlimited in an email. “Prior to the actual meeting, Dwight’s business manager and I met with Rob, reminded him that we had not requested the meeting, had been reluctant to take it and were concerned that the Magic had leaked that a meeting was taking place.

“Both during and after the meeting, we continued to get communications from the media telling us that they had confirmation that the meeting was occurring and/or had taken place. After the meeting, some media requested comments on information they allegedly already had on what had taken place in the meeting. I want to stress that none of the information the reporters had about the meeting at this point came from us.

“After receiving these media inquiries, I called Rob and left several messages expressing concern that what had occurred in the meeting was not going to be accurately reported — as had happened on previous occasions — and that we were going to respond to the media inquiries to make sure that reports were accurate. To a limited extent, that is what we did.”

Oh, he just wanted to clear things up. Just to make sure things were accurate.

Got it.

/eyebrow raise

Look, the Magic aren’t innocent in all this. They’re playing games through the media. They’ve just been substantially more quiet about it than the Nets and Howard’s team. But if Fegan’s leaking this information, the reporters are forced to report on it, because it’s a credible source. It’s his agent, who was at the meeting. The problem is that that source is transparently and emphatically trying to shift the public conversation in one direction: Dwight’s way. That’s his job. This isn’t Fegan’s fault, either. He’s doing his job to protect and serve his client.

But if one side says something happened in the meeting, and I’m sure it was “accurate” from their perspective, why not get the other side’s take? Why not get what the Magic have to say about it?

Because the Magic know they don’t gain anything by leaking that information. Even if they did leak that Howard was meeting with the team, that’s an innocuous leak. There’s no real gain for them there. “Team meets with player they have on contract.” But the details are what caused an uproar. The Magic aren’t leaking their side, they’re not leaking that they met with Howard but did not meet to try and convince him to stay, or anything about the intent of the meeting, which was something Fegan let loose which apparently they interpreted as Hennigan trying to convince Howard to stay, when he’s clearly not. The Magic aren’t leaking more harmful information about what Howard did.

It hurts their leverage. It limits their ability to trade him. It keeps them stuck in this never-ending cycle of misery everyone, including the media at this point, is trapped in.

The Magic don’t need to meet with Howard. Howard doesn’t need to meet with the Magic. No one needs to leak anything. The Magic need to work to find the deal they need, get it, trade him, and forget Dwight Howard ever happened to the franchise.

Such a shame for something that brought so many people in Florida joy for so many years.

It is kind of weird that the fourth wall has been broken with Fegan himself becoming the story. Don’t see that happen much. Then again, nothing about this process of holding a team hostage to try and force Howard’s way to Brooklyn has been normal.

You probably answered “the Clippers.” Most fans do. So do most NBA referees — And everyone else. Which is why after a recent loss to Golden State, veteran Marreese Speight (a Warrior last season) pointed to the Clippers complaining about the officiating as part of the problem.

He went on to say that the scouting report is you can get in the Clippers’ heads by knocking them around a little. Which seems pretty obvious when you watch teams play them. Shockingly, Clippers coach Doc Rivers disagrees with that. Via NBCLosAngeles.com.

“The officiating thing, I don’t think, is our issue. I will say that,” said Rivers about the technical fouls. “If that were the problem, then, Golden State would be struggling. They’ve been No. 2 the last two years in techs, too. I think we need to point fingers in another direction than that.”

Doc may not like it, but Speights is right.

The Warriors do complain too much, but they also have a ring so more is forgiven. The problem for the Clippers is that reputation for complaining starts with Rivers — he complains as much or more than any coach in the league. Then it filters down through Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Is it fair that more is forgiven with winning? Moot question. Welcome to America. The Clippers complain a lot and have yet to get past the second round with this core. And at times there standing there complaining to the referees does get in the way of them getting back into defense, and they seem to go in a funk.

The Pelicans are disappointing this season — it is Anthony Davis vs. the world down there. Which is the main reason they are 7-16 this season. While things have gotten better since Jrue Holiday‘s return, Davis is averaging a league-best 31.4 points per game, it then drops off to Holiday at 15.4, and then E'Twaun Moore at 11.1.

When a team struggles, usually that is a bad sign for the coach. Not because it’s always their fault, but because GMs choose not to fire themselves for poor roster construction. Which leads to the question: Alvin Gentry, are you concerned about your job? (Warning, NSFW)

New Orleans’ struggles are not on Gentry, certainly not completely. He’d like a roster that can play uptempo, that has depth. What he got instead was a good point guard, an elite 4/5, a rookie in Buddy Hield that maybe pans out down the line, and then… nada. And the roster Gentry has often is banged up.

If anyone is in trouble, it is GM Dell Demps. Remember, Danny Ferry was hired last summer for the vague role of “special advisor.” Gentry is in his second year, and the issue is the roster he was given. But the Pelicans are a patient organization that values continuity, so… who knows. But the clock is ticking on Davis;, it’s years away, but the Pelicans need to build a team around him and are far from that right now.

Jones told the Beacon Journal he will retire after next season, which will be his 15th in the NBA. His ultimate dream is to ride off after three consecutive championships in Cleveland

“I know playing 15 years is a number where I can look back and I can be like, ‘I accomplished something,’ ” Jones said. “Fourteen vs. 15 may not be much, but to be able to say I played 15 years, that’s enough for me to hang ’em up.”

Jones’ contract expires after the season, so the Cavs will have a say in whether he returns. Safe to say if LeBron wants him back, Jones will be back.

But the Heat got into trouble relying on washed-up veterans around LeBron, wasting valuable roster spots on players who could no longer contribute.

Is that Jones? Not yet. Though he’s out of the rotation, he has still made 11-of-12 open 3-pointers this season. There’s a role for him as spot-up shooter when Cleveland needs one.

Still, the Cavaliers ought to be mindful of Jones’ likely decline over the next year and a half. Plus, it’s not a certainty he holds to his timeline. Cavs veterans have a history of changing their mindon retirement.